Mall Santa brings extra cheer for a boy with autism (5 Photos)

I used to be a mall Santa for years. I did volunteer time for special needs children as well as animal rescue groups etc.




That is me.
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http://thechive.com/2015/12/05/mall-santa-brings-extra-cheer-for-a-boy-with-autism-5-photos/?utm_source=hollywoodFB&utm_medium=Partner&utm_campaign=Hollywood


BY SHELBIE | DEC 5, 2015



We’ve all witnessed those screaming kids who don’t want to tell Santa what they want for Christmas. However, for a child with autism, they’re not just a little nervous-they’re terrified. The crowds, the lights and the noise can be very difficult for them to take on.

When the parents of 6-year-old Brayden found out he had autism, they figured getting a traditional Christmas photo of him and Santa would be next to impossible. They were wrong.

This year, they got their perfect Christmas shot in a much better way than they could have ever imagined for the second year in a row. Caring Santa, organized by the group Autism Speaks, came to Charlotte, North Carolina to give Brayden and other children with autism the chance to spend some quality time with good ol’ St. Nicholas. It wasn’t a normal sit-on-the-lap kind of thing, though. The stores were already closed when Brayden stepped through the door, and the warm-up time was as long as he wanted.

Brayden’s mom Erin Deely said, “They let you take all the time you need to warm up to Santa, so Brayden started out far away. He knew who Santa was, but he was shy.”

FULL story and photos at link.